Fire extinguisher



Filed A ril'lo, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l a zrm ATTORNEYS Sept. 6, 1938,

F. A. DODELIN 2,129,465

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed April 10, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 & 51

4 l A 40 d 24 IN VENTOR. 6 M

ATTORNEY S Patented Sept. 6, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 7 2,129,465 FIRE EXTINGUISHER 'Fred Albert Dodelin, Glen Ridge, N. J., assignor to Pyrene Manufacturing Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application April 10, 1937, Serial No. 136,047

1 Claim.

-' This invention relates to fire extinguishers of the type wherein av cartridge containing highly compressed gas is employed as a source of pressure fluid which, when the cartridge is punctured, is rendered available within the fire extinguisher as a pressure medium for expelling the extinguishing liquid therefrom.

An important object of the invention is to provide a generally improved extinguisher of the type mentioned which is simple in construction, easily assembled, inexpensive to manufacture, reliable in operation, and which may be easily reconditioned for use by replenishing the supply ofextinguishing liquid and by substituting a new cartridge for the one previously. discharged.

Other objects and advantages ofthe' invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fire extinguisher embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view showing the fire extinguisher partly in elevation and partly in section,

Fig, 3 is an enlarged central, vertical, sectional view of the cartridge-piercing and valve-actuating head, and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal, sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The extinguisher, herein shown, includes a liquid container I6, the cylindrical side wall and the upper end wall of which are formed integral with each other, and the lower end wall of which comprises a base II, having an upstanding marginal flange I 2, within which the lower end of the cylindrical wall is so secured as to provide an air and liquid-tight joint. To the upper end wall of the container II], there is connected an annular fitting or head-support l4, having a depending skirt I5, which serves to insure the container against being filled beyond a predetermined level so as to provide an air space above the liquid level which is sufiiciently large to accommodate a substantial quantity of pressure fluid when initiating the operation of the extinguisher in the manner hereinafter more particularly described.

The head-support I 4 is adapted to detachably receive a cartridge-piercing and valve-actuating head I6. This head includes a plug-like fitting H, the lower end of which is adapted for screwthreaded connection with the annular fitting or head-support I4 and is there provided with a gasket-receiving flange I8, with which is associated a gasket 20, adapted to be forced into im- (01.169-31) pinging engagement with the upper or seating surface of the fitting I4 so as to provide an air and liquid-tight seal between such fitting and head when the extinguisher is conditioned for use. The fitting I1 is provided at its lower end with a depending internally screw-threaded flange 2 I, adapted to receive the externally screw-threaded neck portion of the sealing head 22 of a cartridge 24, carrying a highly compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide, which is adapted to be employed as a source of pressure fluid to expel the extinguishing liquid from the container II] when the extinguisher is put into operation, the contents of the cartridge being normally retained therein by a suitable seal 25 which is adapted to be punctured under conditions hereinafter more particularly described.

The fitting I! is drilled or otherwise formed with a chamber 26 in the upper end of which is disposed a screw-threaded plug-like retaining disc 21. Within the chamber 26, there is arranged a piercer-actuating rod 28, the upper end of which projects through the disc 21 and within the lower end of which is carried a screw-threaded stem 36, which is provided at its lower end with a substantially square guide plate 3| and a suitable punch-like piercer 32 by which the cartridge seal 25 may be ruptured. The disc 21 functions in association with the guide plate 3| (the corners of which engage the wall of the chamber 26) as means for maintaining the piercer-actuating rod 28 in a coaxial relation to the chamber 26 so as to insure proper alignment of the piercer 32 with the puncturable area of the cartridge seal 25. Upon puncturing the cartridge seal 25, the pressure medium is directed from the cartridge 24 into the space or chamber afforded intermediate the sealing head 22 and the guide plate 3I (which chamber communicates with the liquid container ID by way of a pair of apertures 34 formed in the depending flange 2 I), and in order to insure against escape of the pressure medium from the chamber 26 except by way of the apertures 34 there is provided a sealing bellows 35, the lower end of which is in gas-tight union with the piercer-actuating rod 28 and the guide plate 3I and the upper end of which is held in gas-tight union with the fitting IT by the retaining disc 21.

Adjacent the chamber 26 there is formed a similar chamber 36, the bottom Wall of which is formed with a valve seat 31 and a liquid discharge port 38, which is coaxial with respect to the valve seat and within which is secured a depending pick-up tube 46, the inlet end of which is located at the bottom of the liquid container l0 and at a slight distance from the lower end wall thereof. Within the chamber 36, there is arranged a valve stem 4|, the lower end of which is equipped with a sealing disc 42 which serves as a valve, adapted to be moved into and out of sealing engagement with the valve seat 31, whereby communication of the pick-up tube 40 with a conventional hoseand-nozzle unit 44 may be either severed or established, it being observed that the hose-andnozzle unit (which is connected to the fitting I7) is maintained at all times in communication with the chamber 36 and that the lower end of the valve stem is substantially square so as "to afford a clearance between itself and the wall of the chamber. It will also be observed that "the four corners of the lower end of the valvestem -4- engage the wall of the chamberg36 and that the upper end of the valve stem projects througha screw-threaded plug-like retaining disc; 45 which 1 is disposed in the upper end of the chamber 36 and serves in conjunction vn'th the 'lower'end of the valve stem as. means for maintaining the valve stem inproper position to-"insure accurate seating of the sealing disc '42 on'th'e valve seat 31. "In order to insure against the escape-of liq uid from the chamber '36, except by way of the hose-and-nozzle unit 44,'th'ere isprovided a sealing bellows 46, the lower'end of whichisihliquid-tight union with the valve stem and'the upper end of which is held in liquid-tight union withth'e fitting IT by the retaining disc'45.

In the type of extinguisher to which'the' present'invention is directed, itis des'ir'ableto insure opening of the liquid dischargeport immediately prior to puncturing the cartridge and to be able to eiiect such operations throughthe medium of a single control means. Taking th'e'se factors into account, the piercer-actuating rod 28 and the valvestem 4| are so connected by=a rocker arm 4'! as the valve stem is moved-upwardly toopen the liquid discharge port 38 the piercer-actuating rod28 is moved downwardly topuncture the cartridge. The rocker arm '41 is pivotall'y'com nected at one end to the'upper end ofthe pierceractuating rod'28 and is connectedat its other end to the upper end of the valve stem"4| at a point wherethat'stem is connected to'a lift rod 14-8, the rocker arm being pivotally 'supported'ona bearing pin or screw '50 which passes through and'is' supported by the sidewalls "ofa cap lik'e housing'5l which is held in'position'on*th'e-fit' ting H by a plurality of retaining screws 52. In order that unobstructed operation of the rocker arm' 47 may be permitted, the pivotal connections between that arm .and the piercer-actuating rod 28 and valve stem 4| maybe so made as to aif'ord such lost motion (which at the mostjis-onlyvery slight) as is necessary toallow thepivot axes to shift with relation to the rocker arm lengthwise of the same. Surrounding the lift'ro'd 4'B,'"is"an externally screw-threaded actuating sleeve "54 which is adapted for rotationwith relation to the lift rod and iscarried within an internally 'screwthreaded flange 55 projecting upwardly from and forming a part of the cap-like housing 5|. To the upper end of the actuating-sleeve 5.4, there is splined or otherwise suitablyconnected a handwheel 56, which is held against removal by a thrust ring51 secured to the upper end of'the'lift rod 48. Inasmuch as' the actuating sleeve '54, when rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, moves upwardly, the thrust ring 51 will serve toinsure correspondingupward movement of the valve'stem 4|, which, because of its rockerarm connection with the piercr actuating -rod against accidental displacement, as when the extinguisher is resting dormant in condition for :use, and to thatend the flange 55 is provided when encircling yoke 60, adapted to be held by asetscrew 6| in any one of a multiplicity of positions of rotary adjustment. This yoke 6|] is provided with a-sccket-like sleeve 62, which is adapted to assume a position of registration with an aperture 64 formed in the hand-wheel 56 so as to permit a retaining-pin 65 to be passed through that aperture and into the-sockt-like sleeve, the retaining pin being preferably connected by a'c'hain 66 to the encircling yoke '60 at a point adjacent the socket-like sleve thereo'f. Proper rotary adjustment of the encircling yoke 60 may be determined, at the time the citinguisher is "assembled in the factory, by the position that the hand-wheel aperture occupies when the valve stem 4| is 'in its lowermost -'o'r valve-closing position, it being understood that once such adjustment is determined the encircling yoke 60 may be'locked on-the-ilang'e55-by the set screw 6|. Although th'eretainin'gpinWS is adapted to effectively insure against-accidental displacement of the hand-wheel'56, aswhen the extinguisher is resting dormant and is conditioned for use, it may be readily removed in the'case' of emergency to permit the extinguisher'tobeplaced in operation by turning the hand-wheel in a counterclockwise direction, as 'a result of which the valve 'stem4l' is lifted 'so'as to open'the liquid discharge port 38 and the pierc'er-actuating rod 28 is moved downwardly so as to cause the piercer 32 to puncturethe cartridge.

Upon opening'the'li'quid dischargeport 38 and upon puncturing the cartridge 24, thee'xtinguisher is'automaticallyset into operation by reason of the fact that the pressure medium, asit-i's released from the cartridge, builds up *a pressure over the extinguishing liquid within' the liquid container I 0 and forces it upwardly through'the pick-up tube 40 and out of the hose-and-nozzle unit *44-by Wayof the liquid discharge port-38 and the-chamber 36 (with "the latter=of which the hoseand-nozzle unit' directly communicates), the pressure derived from the contents of "the cartridge being such as toeffect complete evacuation of the fire extinguishing liquid and-at the same time maintain a substantially uniform rate of flow of such liquid" throughout the entire discharge period.

Pursuant to an operationof'the extinguisher, it-may'be readily reconditioned for'useby 'removing the valve-actuating head 16 (removal being facilitated bythe pairof handles "61 with which the head is provided), running the handw-heel 56 -downto such position-that the liquid discharge port-38 will be closed'(in'which"case the retaining pin 65-may be inserted through the aperture-64and-into the socket-like slee've62), substituting "a new cartridge for the discharged cartridge 24, filling the liquid container 10 to a-pproximatelythe horizontal center'line of "the peep or'sight window-68 provided in the wall-or the liquid chamber and then replacing the valveactuating head 16.

Preferably, the extinguisher is equipped with suitable means to facilitate its being carried from place to place, such means being herein illustrated as including a container-embracing clampring 10, having an opening H formed therein to accommodate the peep or sight window 68 and provided with wing-like ears 12 to which are connected, as by snap hooks 14, the opposite ends of a shoulder strap 15. A

Although only one form of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a liquid fire extinguisher of the cartridge type, a cartridge puncturing and valve actuating head comprising a fitting having a pair of chambers formed therein, a piercer-actuating rod arranged for longitudinal movement within one of said chambers and projecting upwardly therefrom, a valve stem arranged for longitudinal movement within the other of said chambers and projecting upwardly therefrom, a cap-like housing seated on and detachably connected to the upper end of said fitting, a rocker arm pivotally supported above said fitting and within said caplike housing and pivotally connected at one end to the upper end of said piercer-actuating rod and at the other end to the upper end of said valve stem, a lift rod connected to said valve stem and projecting upwardly through said cap-like housing, an actuating sleeve rotatable on but longitudinally immovable on said lift rod and having a screw-thread connection with the top of said cap-like housing, and a hand wheel rigidly connected to the upper end of said actuating sleeve above said housing for rotating said actuating sleeve and imparting longitudinal movement to said lift rod with resulting movement of said piercer-actuating rod and valve stem in opposite directions.

FRED ALBERT DODELIN. 

